Improvement in fountains for containing aerated or gaseous liquids



i. KENNEDY. Fountains for Containing Aerated or Gasenus Liquids.

UNITED .STATES PATENT @rr-Ion JOHN C. KENNEDY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR IO JAMES WV. TUFTS, OF MEDFOR-D, MASSACHUSETTQ.

IMPROVEMENT IN FOUNTAINS FOR CONTAINING AERATED 0R GASEUS LIQUIDS.

Specification forming pari of Letters Patent No. 146,594, dated .L nu: 1 0,1S74; application iiled November v20, 1873.

To all whomt't may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN (l. KENNEDY, of Toledo, Lucas county, State of Ohio, have invented certain Improvements in Fountains for Containing Aerated or Gaseous Liquids, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the aecompanying drawings, making part of this speciiieation, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a sodafountain with my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the center of the same.

In the use of fountains for containin g aerated or gaseous liquids, a portion of the gas remains in the fountain after being emptied of its liquid contents, and where the ordina-ry fountain was employed it became necessary to allow the gas so remaining to escape before the cap of the fountain could be removed to admit of its being resupplied with water. To avoid the waste of this gas, and thereby effect a saving in the gas-producing materials, a fountain has been employed having a pump connected with, but situated outside of, it. The pump thus placed away from the fountain was, however, objectionable on account of the considerable space it occupied, and the liability of the pump forcing air with the water into the fountain.

To obviate this last-mentioned objection is the purpose of my invention, which consists in arranging the force-pump within the air-tight fountain, whereby it is rendered more compact and easy to handle, and no air is liable to be drawn into the pump, as is the ease when the pump is outside the water cylinder or fountain. The second portion of my invention has for its object to enable me to ascertain when a suiiicient quantity of 7at-er has been pumped into the fountain, and also to ascertain the quantity of water within the fountain at any time when in use; and this portion of my invention consists in a hollow rod or tube sliding` through a stufiingbox, the top of the tube being' closed by a screwcap or stop-cock, which may be operated to allow the water to escape therefrom when on a level with the bottom of the tube.

To enable others sli'illed in the art to understand and use my invention, l will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the said drawings, A is an ordinary soda' fountain, containing the carbonieacid gas and the charged water, within which, and extending centrally down from its top, is the cylinder of a force-pump, B, provided with a valve, (l, opening downward. Tithin this cylinder moves the piston b, employed for forcing water into the fountain against the pressure of the gas remaining therein after the charged water is drawn oif and the fountain requires a new supply of water. The top of this cylinder is closed by aeireular cap, C, provided with a stuffing-box, c, through which passes the piston-rod d, to the top of which is secured a lever, l), having its fulcrum c at one end at the top of a pair of upright standards, E, rising from the fountain, the other end of the lever being provided with a handle, f, by which the pump is operated. Projecting out from the side ofthe cap G is a short tube, g, over which is tted the pipe Gr, through which water is drawn by the pump to supply the fountain, the tube g being provided with a valve opening inward.

By thus placing' the pump withinthe fountain, instead of outside of and away from it, as heretofore, the entire apparatus is rendered much more eompact,'whieh, where the space is limited, and consequently valuable, is an important consideration; but the special adA vantage gained by locating the pump inside of the fountain is, the certain prevention of the possible induction of air into the pump, as is the case where the pump is located outside in the air.

rIhe carbonio-acid gas from the generator is forced into the fountain through a tube, Il, projecting out from near its top, the commuA nication between the tube and the fountain being controlled by a stop-cock, 7L. I is a hollow rod or tube passing through a stufingbox, i, into the fountain. On the top of this tube is screwed a cross-bar, 7s, which serves as a handle to raise and lower the tube, andas a cap to close its open upper end. In one side of this cap is formed a small opening, l, which serves as a vent through which either the gas or Water Within the fountain may escape when the cross-bar or cap is slightly unscrewed. Instead of the cross-bar,va stop-cock may be used, if preferred. This tube is provided with a stop, j, and is drawn up into the position seen in Fig. 2 before commencing to supply the fountain With Water, Which, on rising to a point above its bottom, is forced (by the pressure Within) to escape through the vent l When opened by turning the cap k, the vent being closed and the pump being operated until the attendant thinks the fountain is about twothirds full, when the vent is opened and the gas allowed to escape till such time as the water reaches the bottom of the tube, when it is forced up through it and escapes therefrom, thus indicating that the fountain has received its proper supply of Water, after which the Vent is closed by turning the cap. The height ofthe Water Within the fountain may be readily ascertained at any time when in use by simply pushing the tube down till its bottom reaches the liquid, when the latter Will escape .at the vent l, (previously opened,) lthe gas being free to escape till the Water appears. By graduating the outside of the tube I, itwill serve as a gage by Which the exact contents of the fountain may be known Whenever desired. L is a stirrer for agitating the Water in the fountain to render it capable of absorbing the greatest amount of gas.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of a force-pump located Within afountain for containing aerated liquids With a Water-pipe, G, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

v2. In combination With the fountain A, the sliding tube I, having its top closed by a screw cap, 7c, or other device, operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

Witness my hand this 14th day of November, 1873.

JOHN C. KENNEDY. In presence of O'r'ro REIDEMEIsTER, W. P. McOARoN. 

